and democrats to craft a last-minute agreement to avoid the worst of the fiscal cliff. if we do go over the cliff, the i.r.s. has warned most taxpayers may not be able to file their returns until late march. that would mean long delays for many tax refunds. and economists warn the economic effects will be felt quickly if $600 billion in automatic tax increases and spending cuts begin to take effect next year. at this rate, it looks like lawmakers will celebrate new year's eve at work-- if not resolving the fiscal cliff, at least trying to avoid the blame. darren gersh, nbr, washington. >> susie: going over the fiscal cliff will not only have an impact on the national level, it will also hit states and eventually cities. if lawmakers fail to reach a deal before january 1, the cliff's across the board spending cuts and tax increases will impact how much money states get from the federal government. ruben ramirez reports from washington. >> reporter: we all know the numbers. failing to reach a deal by january 1 will result in $109 billion in automatic cuts to federal spend